


The Outsider In All The French-Loving

by krisherdown



Series: The Outsider In All The French-Loving [1]
Category: Tennis RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-03-15
Updated: 2009-03-15
Packaged: 2017-12-17 19:24:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/871120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/krisherdown/pseuds/krisherdown
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Richie feels left out of their games.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Outsider In All The French-Loving

**Author's Note:**

> Story revolves around the French Davis Cup team's 2009 loss.

Richie watches the three of them from his chair.  None of them are telling him anything but he doesn't need to be told to know what's going on.  
  
It's been clear from the moment he arrived for the tie.  Sure, there had always been rumors about some configuration of the three of them hooking up.  And, yes, they were all flirty but since they also did the same to him, Richie wasn't particularly bothered by the stories.  
  
This time is different.  There have been none of those sly looks from Gilles, those not-at-all-brief touches from Gael or wide smiles from Jo.  Well, none directed his way.  They certainly _are_  doing these same things toward each other.  
  
Actually, it's even more than that.  The traditional kisses on the cheek, especially when given by Gael, last longer now.  Gael and Jo basically hover over Gilles while he's hyperventilating, not allowing anyone else to get near him to fire off the inevitable questions.  
  
Now it's the dinner after the tie, what was supposed to be a celebration that is now a time to mope.  Gael is trying to say anything to get Gilles to cheer up.  After an hour with no success, Jo takes things into his own hands and practically lifts Gilles from his seat and carries him out of the dinner.  
  
Everyone laughs, as if knowing what's going to happen next.  Gael tries to be discreet as he follows a few minutes later, claiming that the day's excitement has worn him out.  
  
That leaves Richie as the one dealing with everyone's pity.  Well, and Llodra but he's rather blasé about the entire thing.  Then again, he has none of the pressure - he can just go back to Clement and his world will be complete again.  Whereas Richie feels like he's lost his friends in the process as they've now gone off into their own little world.  
  
Later on, Richie heads back to the hotel room he's sharing with Jo.  He's alone in the room trying to wind down when Jo returns with his shirt half-buttoned and he's desperately looking in his suitcase for something.  When Jo finally finds what looks like a kerchief, Richie closes his eyes, not wanting to know any more about it but extremely thankful when the door opens and shuts.  
  
He doesn't really have a choice in knowing when the voices get louder, Gael explaining to Gilles that he's breaking the rules of strip poker.  It's a loud commotion ended by Gael cheering that Jo finally got Gilles to shut up.  
  
It's at times like this that he wishes he had taken Jo up on his offers last year.  Jo was on a high after getting to the Australian Open final and just kind of blurted it out that he thought Richie was hot and wanted to hook up.  Then there was the night after hanging at the strip club and Jo was demonstrating his moves while Richie sat in an armchair.  Even now, Richie's not sure why he turned Jo down, though he probably claimed that Jo was drunk - either off of success or liquor.   
  
After a month of this, Jo had cooled off on the advances, but that was also when Gilles' play got him invited into the upper ranks.  Gilles and Gael were already close friends and it was natural to invite Richie and Jo into their little world.  
  
Richie got used to the affection Gael would give toward him.  He was like that to everyone, anywhere and didn't care who insinuated anything.  Richie did care, as he was already dealing with enough rumors and didn't want Gael to add fuel to the fire.  Gael thought that Richie was being ridiculous about the whole thing and gradually pulled away as well.  
  
As for Gilles, Richie has never been especially close with him.  There's a bit of a personality clash and Gilles' mouth can get him in trouble.  Jo says that is the moment when he or Gael will swoop in and get Gilles quiet.  That kerchief was probably used for that purpose.  
  
Richie collapses back on the bed.  The voices have lowered enough that Richie is no longer able to discern what they're saying.  It's back to a lonely quiet room and Richie has time to visualize what may be going on in there that has caused the lowered voices.  
  
Richie knows he's been a bit picky in the past.  He has gotten plenty of offers but he wasn't interested in being with anyone at that time.  That may have gotten him labeled a tease but he had a lady in his life at the time so he wasn't going to justify the comments.

Now, however, all he wants to do is to circle back through those offers and see if there's someone still interested.

 


End file.
